Whispered Farewell
by El loopy
Summary: Post Volume 1 of the manga. Doris can't quite seem to let D go. They never even said a real goodbye...now she gets her chance. Oneshot. Doris x D


**Diclaimer: 'Vampire Hunter D' is not mine. The characters come from the manga and not from me.**

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Whispered Farewell

Doris stood in the yard, leaning sadly on the fence, propping herself up on her elbows as the rough wood scratched her skin. Her eyes were trained vacantly on the skyline the great Vampire Hunter D had once rode into her life over, not so long ago, though it seemed like months. It had been a mere two days since she'd fled out of the crumbling castle, leaving him behind on his orders. She knew it was against his character to return to her now but that flame of hope was yet to be extinguished as she kept her eyes trained solely on that hill, scouring its surface futilely.

A shadow fell across the wavering grass and Doris froze in astonishment. The darkness was gone almost in the same instant.

She paused only a moment to consider whether she had imagined it before turning on her heel and running towards the barn. Swiftly untying one of the horses and vaulting onto its back Doris kicked the beast into a gallop and rode it speedily to the top of the rise.

The wind whispered in the blades of grass, caressing the bodies so that they leaned into it, brushing against each other and the legs of her mount as the powerful legs drove them through, parting a way until she was standing in the very same position she had when she'd first met D.

As she stayed atop her horse the grass rustled past, bending in submission to the wind's dominance. The sun beat down from above, warming her neck and arms almost unbearably except when the breeze brushed her skin with its light cool touch. She watched the landscape sadly, willing to see the shadow she'd seen from down on the farm but there was no human movement.

"D," she breathed, the sound barely a hiss was caught up by the wind and disappeared into the air. "D…"

She was still for a long time, just gazing out over the landscape…waiting…hoping. Her horse grew bored and put its head down to feed. She ignored it. Nothing distracted her eyes from their frantic and futile search.

She was unaware of how much time passed before she heard her brother calling her name and she was called back from her search. The sun was dipped lower in the sky and she found herself thirsty, mouth dry, yearning for something liquid.

_Blood_, her mind whispered but she shut her eyes and laughed softly at herself for her own obsession, though the laugh was sad and self-mocking.

"Foolish," she told herself. "You're a fool…" she reopened her eyes back onto the curve of the earth, "D never drank your blood. You're no vampire, nor damphir neither."

She heard Dan's worried call again and turned to look over her shoulder. He was standing in the yard looking concerned. Doris gave him a fake smile and waved at him.

"I'm coming!" she yelled, and turned her mount back to her home.

A final glance over her shoulder sent a spike of shock running through her. She froze.

D sat on his horse some distance away…watching her. She stared wide eyed in a bewildering mix of happiness and disbelief.

Their gazes were locked across the vast expanse of grass that separated them. All that was between them was air and earth but it could have been a wall. Neither moved. They both just stared.

The wind took hold of strands of his hair and twisted them till they bent and waved like the blades of grass. Slowly he tilted his head to her in a small nod of acknowledgement. It snapped her out of her trance and she wheeled her horse around, nudging it towards him, but she was pulled up short as he shook his head at her.

"No."

The word, the only one he'd spoken, drifted to her across the untouchable space.

"You can't."

Her eyes filled with unshed tears as she was forced to look at him only. She could not find the words to speak without fear of choking. She wanted to accuse him of not taking his payment, to beg him not to leave, to wrap her arms around him and kiss him like they had kissed before. She wanted him to make her feel the way he made her feel that night before they were interrupted…but she was forced instead to just devour him with her eyes.

She knew this was his way of saying goodbye. No touches. No words. Just silence and longing gazes. It was how he was.

A tear slipped down her cheek as it overflowed from too full eyes, unprompted and unheeded as more followed. Each droplet of water an emotion she could no longer contain.

Again D tilted his head at her, this time a farewell and she returned the movement. The tears grew cold on her cheeks and she brushed her eyes with her fingertips. When she looked back the space where D had stood was empty, and she knew with utter certainty that this time he would not be coming back.

A sad sigh whispered from her dry lips and she turned her mount back to the farm, giving him his head and letting him take her home.

--

Unseen, D watched her disappear back over the hill where he'd first met her. The wind carried her sad sigh to him and he let it wrap itself around him before shaking away the thin tendrils of air and turning away himself, continuing on his journey.


End file.
